Today’s the day the big adventure begins – it the EuroStar to Brussels, an overnight stay in Düsseldorf and then a train ride to Leipzig
Why am I going to Leipzig you might ask –
The story all begins back in January 2025. My football team, Crystal Palace who play in the English Premier League, were starting their annual challenge to win the FA cup.
In January that year we beat Stockport from the lower leagues to proceed to the 4th round. Wins against Doncaster and Milwall followed and by the end of March we were in the quarter finals of the competition. Fulham were dismissed 3-0 in this match and Aston Villa were dispatched with a similar score line in April in the semi- finals.
suddenly we were there, playing Manchester City in the final. Much to the delight of most of south London we also won this match and history was made.
How was all this possible you might ask – the answer is we had Oliver Glasnor, as our inspirational manager. A little known Austrian football coach had transformed a mediocre mid table football team into a winning machine. Creating future stars of European football in the likes of Micheal Olise, Evenede Eze and Mark Ghuia along the way.
For Crystal Palace and South London winning the FA cup was like all your dreams coming true at once. Twice before in the last twenty 25 years we had reached the final, only to be beaten on both occasions by Manchester United, This time though we had won it. Not only had we won it but be we had beaten Manchester City in the process.
in itself was a major triumph for a small team from South London. The success also meant that we qualified to play in Europe the following season, the Europa Cup.
May 2025 was an incredible time for Andy Palace fan. Three previous attempts to win the DA cup in the last 20 years gave need in defeat at the final hurdle, loseing twice to Manchester United, one after a hard fought replay.
May 2025 was different though, we had Ollie Glasner as our manager and anything was possible. Even going on the play in Europe and challagr for the Europa cup in the upcoming new season
soon after however, as it always does for Pskace fans, the dream began to crumbk. UAfa, the ruling body for football in Europe ruled that Pslace were ineligible to play in the Europa League competition for reasons associated with one of our clubs Directors having historic multiple ownership of another European club
